Black Licorice and Celery

I discovered a new food combination that is a mighty kooky conglomeration. While at Helen, GA’s ‘Oktoberfest’, I picked up some black licorice. When I got home, I ate what was left over from it and didn’t have any water around, so I downed some celery to quench my thirst. To my delightful surprise, it was a fantastic treat!

Licorice is used to treat a vast array of illnesses. In China, licorice is considered a superior balancing or harmonizing agent and is added to numerous herbal formulas. It is used to soothe coughs and reduce inflammation, soothe and heal ulcers and stomach inflammation, control blood sugar, and balance hormones. Licorice is great for healing canker sores and cold sores (herpes simplex virus). Licorice is a potent antiviral agent and can be used to treat flu, herpes, and even hepatitis. Licorice is also a strong anti-inflammatory agent and can be used to improve the flavor of other herbs. With all of these uses, it is no wonder that licorice finds its way into so many therapies.

Several modern studies have demonstrated the ulcer-healing abilities of licorice. Unlike most popular ulcer medications, such as cimetidine, licorice does not dramatically reduce stomach acid; rather, it reduces the ability of stomach acid to damage stomach lining by encouraging digestive mucosal tissues to protect themselves from acid. Licorice enhances mucosal protection by increasing the action of mucous-secreting cells, boosting the life of surface intestinal cells, and increasing microcirculation within the gastrointestinal tract. This improves the health of the stomach lining and reduces damage from stomach acid. One study in Ireland showed a licorice extract to be a better symptom reliever than Tagamet for a number of ulcer patients.”

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[…] cleanser, I reached for the first thing in the fridge. Bosc Pears. Like my experience with Celery and Black Liquorice, I was joyfully surprised and proceeded to have a gay ol’ time eating the rest of my […]